Exports' volume in June reached the highest level in the past ten years, while over the first six months of the year they increased by 25% as compared to last year. However, the exports' structure does not offer authorities a reason for being optimistic, as, according to analysts, it still lacks coherence and competitiveness.
Exports over the first six months of the current year have displayed the same rigid structure of the past years, being focused on three categories of goods: textile products (17%), cast iron, iron, steel (10%) and footwear (8% of the cash-ins).
In June, the level of 800 million dollars of export cash-ins was outrun, which did not mean though that high added value exports registered a significant increase.
While it is true that all categories of exported goods registered an increase of 0.1-0.2%, their position within the general structure remained frozen, as exports focused on labour force, especially in the domain of textile industry where lohn contacts are often used. Exports also focused on half-manufactured products having high energetic consumption levels.
Mechanical devices and electric equipment hold a secondary place in the top of significant categories of exported products.
Statistical data support the thesis of a spectacular dynamics of exports posted since the beginning of the year, as the largest volume of cash-ins since 1989 was reported on the first half, amounting to 4,913.7 million dollars. However, the qualitative dimension of this evolution is placed under doubt by many companies specialised in foreign trade activities.
Matache Nicolaide, the general manager of Uzinexport Bucuresti, one of the strongest Romanian foreign trade companies, considers that a purely accidental increase in exports is involved. "The simple analysis on components of the flow of exports shows us that we practically have a random increase, which is in no case the outcome of an intelligent strategy," Matache told Ziarul Financiar.
He maintains that any effort to find scientific explanations regarding the causes of this dynamics of exports is totally meaningless. Nicolaide considers that Romania's export activity is dominated by chaos, since "all companies rush to export anything, any way."
Uzinexport general manager states that we cannot boast "increases in clothing and timber exports," as the Romanian machines building industry, well known by Uzinexport, is "paralysed." Authorities seek to stimulate exports by fiscal facilities and controlled depreciation of the domestic currency, but Romania's potential for exports is still low, mainly due to its extremely rigid economic structure.
Comparatively, exports in Hungary increased from $8.1bn in 1993 to $24.9bn in 1999, in the Czech Republic from $8.4bn in 1992 to $26.9bn in 1999, while in Romania they may exceed $9bn this year, from $4.3bn in 1992.
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